Aaditi Dutt, Who Belongs?, 2025, oil and mixed media on wood panel, 61 × 91 cm. A symbolic confrontation between two owls over a single key to this home, 'Who Belongs?' explores migration, ownership, and the fragile need to claim territory. Through the mirrored struggle of the invasive Barred owl in the territory of the Spotted owl, the painting invites viewers to reflect on ownership as a transient concept. It calls for empathy and perspective, reminding us that all creatures, including humans, borrow the land we call home.
Client
Timeline
10 Weeks
Services
Illustration
Website
Challenge
Humanity has long drawn invisible lines to define who belongs where. As territories are contested and borders harden, migration, which was once a natural act of survival, is often seen as a threat. These tensions echo in the natural world, and the divides humans construct are frequently fictionalised in our imaginations as larger than they are in reality.
Solution
Through the mirrored struggle of the Barred and Spotted owls, the painting invites viewers to reflect on ownership as a transient concept. It calls for empathy and perspective—reminding us that all creatures, including humans, borrow the land we call home.
